A beloved favourite of the seasoned bettor, a Round Robin can be complicated and confusing to the uninitiated. Let’s get to the bottom of it. 

What Is A Round Robin Bet? 

A round robin is a long-standing favourite in sports betting, a wager that consists of ten elements that derive from three selections.

These elements are three doubles, one treble and three up-and-down single stake pair bets.

 

All of these are based on your three selections, that could be horses coming first in a race, a football team winning their match, or golfers winning a tournament.  

A £1 round robin therefore will cost £10. 

As it includes singles, this is a complete coverage multiple bet, meaning you only need to have one winning selection from three in order to see some return on your initial stake.

Whereas many multiple bets are very easy to understand, the latter part of this particular wager – the up-and-down single stake element – can cause confusion among inexperienced bettors. Let’s then break down each component of the wager in turn.

Doubles

Pretty straightforward this one. Let’s say your three selections are:

  • Dance In Moonlight to win 2.40 at Newbury

  • Shalamar to win 3.10 at Epsom

  • Pale Deity to win 3.40 at Newbury 

Your three doubles will be:

  • Dance In Moonlight and Shalamar to both win their respective races

  • Dance In Moonlight and Pale Deity to both win

  • Shalamar and Pale Deity to both win

If any one of the three combinations above comes in, the double element of your wager pays out handsomely. 

Treble

Naturally, there is only one treble available, which is for all three of the horses named above to be first past the post. 

Up-and-down single stakes 

An up-and-down single stake is essentially a double that is broken down into two separate components. The second component is reliant on the first being successful in order to be active.

An example probably best explains this.

You have backed Horse A and Horse B to win their races at £1 each. 

If Horse A loses this particular part of your Round Robin bet is null and void. If the horse wins however a percentage of the due winnings is parlayed onto Horse B. 

If Horse B loses there is still a small return from your single triumph. 

Subsequently, an up-and-down single stake bet pays out more than a double but there is no denying that it is complicated. That’s where a Round Robin calculator comes in immensely useful and this can be located on the 888 site. 

Football Round Robin

To an extent, horse racing is self-explanatory when it comes to betting. A horse is backed either to win or place, and this remains the case whether the bet is a single or a multiple.

As regards football betting however a welter of other options become available.

Markets to explore include first goalscorer, correct score, match result and both teams to score. There is also the half time/full time market, whereupon you predict the outcome of both periods of a match. 

Excitingly, all of these options can be applied to a Round Robin bet with 888. This is not always the case with other kinds of multiple bets.  

Mix and match

Unlike several other forms of multiple bets, with a round robin it is possible to spread your wager across different sports. 

Should you wish, it is more than possible to back a golfer in the US Masters, an in-form snooker player at the World Championships in Sheffield, and Carlos Alcaraz to win the Wimbledon Men’s Singles.

This provision is especially handy on big sporting days such as the Grand National.

There may be a horse you are keen to back but preceding the race Tottenham face Nottingham Forest in the lunchtime kick-off and then later Arsenal are playing Newcastle on the television in an early evening kick-off.

With a round robin it is viable to select the fancied horse as well as back both North London giants to win.  

As before with our horse racing example, the returns for a £1 Round Robin bet on these selections are surprisingly high for an overall stake of £10 if we have picked three winning selections.

The Round Robin could be a useful combination bet to use on some of your favourite sporting events!

Round Robin pros and cons 

Due to the complicated nature of it, this is not a multiple bet recommended for novices.

Instead, a Patent bet could prove a better introduction to combination betting, it consisting of three singles, three doubles and an accumulator. 

Incidentally – and confusingly! – this is what a Round Robin is known as in the US and Canada. 

Alternatively, there are Trixie bets to familiarise yourself with, or the more straightforward bet builder. 

The complete coverage of a Round Robin means a pay-out – depending on odds – even if only one of your three selections comes in.

With the up-and-down paired bets forming part of the Round Robin this ensures a huge return should most, or all, of the bet strikes. 

Round Robin betting is a way of spreading the risk across various outcomes, with considerable rewards should each of your picks win. 

Round Robin FAQs

What Does The Round Robin Bet Pay?

The Round Robin increases your chances of a positive return – particularly if you believe the majority of your selections will win.

How Do You Place A Round Robin Bet With 888sport?

Add three selections to your bet slip and then click the permutations tab. Scroll down and click on the patent bet option. The patent offers the exact same betting option as the Round Robin.

What Sports Are Best For Round Robin Betting?

The most popular sports for Round Robin betting are horse racing and football, but it is also popular in most sports.

Can You Do An Each Way Round Robin Bet?

Of course, you can! Simply select the each-way box next to each permutation.